RBL Shared Resources

RBL Shared Resources Flyers

BSL3 Animal Models Shared Resource

The Animal Models Shared Resource will provide challenge models using multiple pathogens, animal species, and routes of infection. Animal models are established under detailed SOPs including inoculum confirmation and sentinel animal necropsy to confirm dose delivered. The Shared Resource can manage multiple species including mice, rats, hamsters, gerbils, ferrets, guinea pigs and rabbits.

For more information, please visit the Animal Models Shared Resource.

BSL3 Aerobiology Shared Resource

The Aerobiology Shared Resource allows for replication of real-world exposure conditions to harmful pathogens. Injection or intranasal exposure of animals to infectious agents may not lead to disease progression which mimics aerosol acquired infections. Experimental infection by inhalation is a critical requirement for development and testing of countermeasures to biological threats. Aerobiology protocols include inoculum confirmation, real-time recording of exposure parameters, characterization of particle distribution, aerosol sampling to estimate inhaled dose, and sentinel necropsy to define dose delivered.

For more information, please visit the Aerobiology Shared Resource.

BSL3 Flow Cytometry Shared Resource

The Flow Cytometry Shared Resource, led by John Whitesides, includes both BSL2 and BSL3 components. The Flow Cytometry Shared Resource offers several cytometric services including Phenotypic Analysis, FRET (Fluorescent Resonance Energy Transfer), DNA cell cycle Analysis and Intracytoplasmic Cytokine Analysis. The analytical and sorting abilities exceed eight simultaneous parameters and enable researchers to define subpopulations based on cell surface morphology as well as size and complexity. For BSL-3 we currently operate a BD FACSAria™ cell sorter to analyze and separate infectious samples.

For more information, please visit the Flow Cytometry Shared Resource.

Immune Reconstitution Shared Resource

The DHVI Immune Reconstitution Shared Resource, led by Greg Sempowski, provides access to specialized instrumentation for Real-Time PCR, Luminex-based multiplex ELISA, and T Cell Receptor Spectratyping. The Shared Resource assists investigators with the design and implementation of molecular, protein, and cellular assays to quantify immune reconstitution or immune responses in vitro and in vivo. A major accomplishment of this facility was the development of a patented Real-Time PCR assay system to quantify mouse T-cell receptor excision circles. This assay has proven invaluable for monitoring thymopoiesis in mice.

For more information, please visit the Immune Reconstitution Shared Resource.

Select Agent Shared Resource

The Select Agent Shared Resource allows investigators to work with Select Agents under the Duke Select Agent Registration. The RBL Director serves as the Principal Investigator for the registration and supervises all work with Select Agents. The Shared Resource completes documentation required for receipt and inventory maintenance under the Select Agent Final Rule, including regular audits of laboratory work in progress to ensure compliance. Central freezer storage is available for long term storage of Select Agent samples.

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